Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is eyeing India’s Aadhaar card initiative as an inspiration as his government is reportedly planning to move forward with introducing a nationwide digital identity system. Starmer’s first stop was a meeting with Nandan Nilekani, Infosys co-founder and former Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). According to The Guardian, Downing Street later clarified that the meeting was not about any commercial arrangement with Infosys but to understand how India built one of the world’s largest digital identity systems.
Starmer has repeatedly highlighted Aadhaar as a model of success. “We are going to a country, India, where they’ve already done ID and made a massive success of it. So one of the meetings I will be having is about ID, in relation to that,” he told reporters before departing for Mumbai. He argued that a centralised ID will simplify life for citizens, whether applying for schools, childcare, or public services.
Last month, Starmer announced that digital ID cards would be mandatory for British citizens and permanent residents seeking employment. Unlike Aadhaar, however, the UK system is not expected to use biometric data at this stage, according to a spokesperson. Britain has not had compulsory identity cards since World War II. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s attempt to introduce biometric ID cards was abandoned amid public backlash.
